Roal Dahl’s novels have regaled, spooked and entertained readers with a strange mix of thrill and outlandishness. So much so that filmmakers have often taken interest in basing their movies on the stories. Anne Hathaway is set to be featured in Robert Zemeckis’ upcoming live-action adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved 1983 novel.
In an interview with Variety, Hathaway was asked what would be familiar between the two films and she was direct: just the story.
“I think the stories will be the only thing that is familiar,” Hathaway said. “I think everything else is totally from the mind of Robert Zemeckis and I’m really excited.”
The general story of The Witches focuses on a seven-year-old boy who ends up into the world of witches, unravelling their secrets and hoping to expose them to the rest of the world before being caught. Zemeckis has previously stated that the film aims to be a more accurate portrayal of the source material than the 1990 loose adaptation.
The 1990 film hadn’t performed particularly well at the box office and even Dahl himself wasn’t exactly keen on the film, but in the years since its release, it has gained something of a cult following.
While Hathaway essays the Grand High Witch, Octavia Spencer is set to play the grandmother in the story and the boy will be played by newcomer Jahzir Bruno. Barge into the theatres on 16 October 2020.